Invasion
by Sora-M-Jigen
Summary: Oneshot. What happens when the beloved automatons of Steam Powered Giraffe meet a sinister silver force from Doctor Who?


What initially started as an idea on Tumblr (what if SPG met the Cybermen of Doctor Who) turned into a drabble, then a fully fledged oneshot. Incredible, right? Anyway, here's hoping I didn't mess up the personalities. Enjoy and thanks for reading. :) 

* * *

There was something strange about San Diego today, more specifically, Walter Manor.

The manor was strange as it was with its unusual architecture of towers poking out of one main foundation. Each tower was different than the last and it appeared to be something ripped out of an artist's dream. It stood tall as it always did, even in the sun, but today there was no sun. Clouds gathered overhead, dark and gloomy, as though foreboding a sudden twist of events to come. While The Spine and Hatchworth were for the sun, Rabbit found solace in these cloudy days because she knew that there would be better tomorrows to come.

The Spine was reading "The Old Man and the Sea" for possibly the billionth time, often finding it a good read on a day like this. Smirking softly at the baseball commentary in the book, a smile poked through. No one valued this book as much as he did, so much so that he carried it with him on every single tour. It became somewhat of a bed story for him from time to time even though he would delve into other pieces of literature, but he would always find himself drawn back to Hemingway. Sinking into the armchair of the third study he allowed the book's weight to hold him down, trapping him in words he had so fondly re-read. Hardwood floor clicked beneath his shoes whenever he pressed his heels into the ground, reminding himself that he wasn't on the sea alongside the main character. Though a life at sea wouldn't be so bad – some days would be filled with adventures of unexpected hauls and fighting off waves that could drown cities. It was a life that The Spine hadn't necessarily wanted, but it was sometimes fun to fantasize. He could be like Captain Albert Alexander if his imagination so desired. Yet he wouldn't have a warm fire blazing in a fireplace near him, much like he did now.

"The Spine! The Spine! There's new friends in the yard!"

The Spine found himself torn away from his beloved book to meet the gleeful voice of Hatchworth who ran through the third study and rushed to the window like a child witnessing snow for the first time. Arching an eyebrow, The Spine wondered what exactly the bot was talking about. He knew that the master wasn't (or hadn't) been working on anything recently. If so he would have introduced them to his new creation by now. Hatchworth's orange facial hair stood out against darkened walls and brought out the bronze tones of his build. Those bronze shades seemingly shone in his joyous state, eager to accept a new brethren or sister to the Steam Powered Giraffe family. Bookmarking his book, The Spine looked over at his friend who bounced on the balls of his mechanical feet causing little squeaks to be heard from his joints and the hardwood floor.

"What?" Confusion rumbled in The Spine's simple question as he removed the book from his person.

"The Spine, there's new friends on the lawn!" Hatchworth repeated, not once looking over at The Spine's emerald eyes filled with bewilderment

It was rare that they received any unexpected friends or trespassers – for their home was located in a distant valley of San Diego, California. From where they resided they could hear the ocean waves in the morning, singing a song it had done since the dawn of time long before they were ever invented. Sometimes the master would smile at the feel of the sea breeze that wafted alongside his petunias in the manor gardens. Here in this little valley the sun would shine rather perfectly on the gardens, the hedge maze, and yes, even the copper giraffes that rested before the manor.

Joining Hatchworth at the large window, The Spine noticed silver steel men dotting the Walter Manor lawns. The gates were untouched from what he could tell at such a great distance. Their heads were bowed in silence as though someone died and The Spine arched an eyebrow. It was though they were waiting for someone to trigger the switch to cause them to function. They appeared to be automatons – cyber ones at that, but automatons still. They were silver, much like The Spine and he found comfort in knowing that there were others like him who had a silver shaded build. He had seen and heard of other bots bearing that shade, but these bore the futurism style that he was initially designed in. Perhaps they were from the future and found some way to travel back in time. Perhaps they bore news that could foretell the automatons' fates and maybe, just maybe, they were friendly. Accessing his photoreceptive scanners, The Spine attempted to scan the forms to see if he could gather any information on them.

"Look at all our new friends, The Spine! Do you think we can fight ice cream monsters with them, The Spine?"

In his results he saw they bore weapons – electricity in their bodies and lasers on their wrists, and incredible, almost warp-like speed. Why these silver men on the yard had weapons The Spine could only conclude were that they were built that way, secretly war machines, and/or hadn't been properly updated to be friendly robots. If they were friendly robots, that is. He knew that he, Hatchworth, and Rabbit were once war machines, but now they were turned into mechanical performers. Their weapons were given to them by the government and the Walter family lineage – most of which were never removed. They were entertaining time bombs that could be triggered to fight and break their vow of peace. It was an incredibly rare occurrence for this to arise and The Spine was hoping it would stay that way.

"Possibly, Hatchworth." The Spine spoke, his voice a mixture of concern and wariness. The Spine was a stoic, but friendly bot like Hatchworth and Rabbit as long as no one caused trouble. They treated and greeted their fans with appreciation and gratefulness and in turn the emotions were reciprocated. Their friends they treated like kin and never did they backstab them or do any wrong to them. Their friends returned the same notions with hearts full of adoration and acceptance and love for the bots. He wondered if the silver men on the lawn would react in the same way.

"Stay indoors!" The radio frizzled and crackled as though it were set aflame as a dj whispered with terror in her voice. The Spine looked at the radio, knowing that sound in her voice. His eyes widened and for a moment he forgot how to function and did nothing more than stare at the appliance.

"Why?" Hatchworth asked, as though expecting an answer to his question.

"Thesesilvermenarevicious,evil….they just-they just killed ev-everyone in the studio! Upgrade orbe deleted, they said, then they-" a deafening sob broke through the static and The Spine felt his chest become heavy with something indiscernible, but powerful. He took a step closer to the radio, knowing he couldn't help this dj, but he knew what would occur. He had experienced situations like this all too many times in the wars past and knew what was going to come next. He didn't like it; especially when he knew he couldn't do something to prevent such terrible events from unraveling.

The radio in the third study was as old as the days of Peter Walter I. It was from a time that even the bots remembered all too well and how they would sometimes crowd around it to listen to stories of invading aliens, westerns, and many others. Rabbit even fell for the radio once – thankfully, she didn't accidentally smash it like Jenny (who to this day, Rabbit still mourned the loss of). The radio found its residence in the third study room, but there were many more around the manor. This one though was the oldest and the one that mostly everyone in the manor so adored. The Spine found it incredible now – how those old ghost stories it would speak from time to time, now were actually, seemingly, coming to life.

Hatchworth had ran towards the radio and took a seat before it, like a child waiting to hear a radio story from way back when. His eyes (although terrible) were transfixed on the device and the sorrowful sounds that emerged from it. By no means was he elated for what was happening, but rather concerned. From what Hatchworth could tell this woman was enduring a far greater Hell than he could ever imagine. Leaning in closer to hear every sob she made, he wished he could help her in some way; he hated to see people upset or sad.

"They're dead…ohGod-God they're all dead…I-I don't..don't know where theycamefrombutplease stay inside, lock your windows,doors, don't let them in. Don't letthem upgrade or delete you. Keepeveryonesafe. Henry? Dar-darling? Ifyouhearme, keep yourself and-and our son s-s-s-safe, tellhimI'llbe- I'll be home soon." She pleaded to listeners and continued to sob, swallowing her tears over the transmission, trying not to be captured by these mystery steel men that roamed about the studio if not everywhere. Her sobs faded to whimpers and soft cries that struck The Spine with what felt like sympathy and compassion.

They weren't sure how long they listened to the woman cry and lost themselves in that sound. It was a sound both automatons had heard before; for The Spine had especially heard it in the wars and days after. They had known that sound and what it conveyed even though no words were usually spoken during it. Biting his lower lip, The Spine didn't want to leave the woman on the radio. Slowly turning from the radio he felt his shoulders slump some, knowing he couldn't save her despite having no real attachment to her other than empathy. Hatchworth dared not move, knowing there had to be more to this message and something inside implored him to listen to her and to be there for her despite the distance.

"OH GOD!" She shrieked and The Spine jolted, surprised by her sudden change of tone. Whipping his head around, he watched the radio once more, now utterly transfixed on it. Hatchworth stared intently at the radio, suppressing any fear that arose.

"You will be upgraded." A cold voice boomed through the radio and Hatchworth trembled at the sound. Hatchworth had never heard such a cold voice before – even Beebop's tone had some semblance of emotion in it.

Was that what they sounded like? Even their voices matched their bodies – cold and fearless, bearing no remorse for what they were doing regardless of reason. The Spine and Hatchworth had encountered humans like that before; humans, of all species. Androids, understandably. Robots, even more so understandably, but humans who lived with feelings and emotions and an understanding for a need to have them and to exercise them until their dying day. To know someone of flesh and actual parts had them and still chose to be cold and uncaring was something that always baffled The Spine and made him detest those who took advantage of their emotions and hearts. They changed their warm, beating organ to a glacier that could never feel. Yes, The Spine knew that he himself was a stoic, but he was far from evil and uncaring. He was unlike these steel beings and those humans who chose to be dark and remorseless and The Spine was more than thankful in knowing that he or any of the Walter creations were not like any of them.

"Oh God, please! No,no-" The dj protested as metallic footsteps drew nearer. Clank, clank, clank on the tiled floor.

"The Spine, we have to help her we can't-" Hatchworth knew how this would end and as much as he didn't want it to turn out the way it would, he knew there was nothing that could be done. His eagerness to help this dj lady only hurt him more in knowing that he, The Spine, and Rabbit couldn't magically warp to that particular radio station.

"Upgrade or be deleted." The cold voice spoke through the radio and The Spine wondered what exactly 'upgraded' meant. Upgraded in the Walter Manor usually meant upgrading certain parts, but people didn't have the parts that he and the others had. Yes their bones could break and their organs could be damaged, but they could easily be replaced and/or repaired. Upgraded, The Spine believed, was something that humans weren't capable of. The very thought of how 'upgraded' was being used in conjunction with this foreign metal man was rather jarring and alarming.

"PLEASE DON'T!"

"Delete." What sounded like buzzing electricity tore through the woman's pleas for mercy, followed by the silence of the radio.

Silence on the radio was never a good thing. It was common knowledge and often a signifier that things were only about to get worse. The Spine recoiled at the radio, knowing he didn't have much time. To know that there were only three (if not a few more) of the Walter creations sent The Spine into wariness and planning. Everyone had to be defended and the manor was the only haven around. The forces of the manor were impenetrable, even if these beings stood motionless in silence on the lawn. How these things managed to even get past the gate made The Spine wonder exactly who and what these beings were. Though the gate appeared to be undamaged he wondered if they could fly, though they bore no jetpack or aerial technology that he could see.

The Spine's optics traced along the yard; there were so many of them and he swallowed. It was though he was in the war again and surrounded by the enemies. Guerilla warfare had taken their toll on Walter's bots with all those reckless warriors, he knew this, he experienced this, and never did he ever want to return to a situation like that again. It was only after Vietnam had he completely understood everything on a deeper level and the very notion to know that he had participated in the war made him detest violence, especially war. Hatchworth and Rabbit were alongside The Spine and experienced everything he did from the unexpected ambushes to the towering copper elephants. While they were haunted by those days at times, they bore no physical damage, having received upgrades and repairs after all these years.

"Hatchworth," the bronze bot quickly turned his head to look at The Spine, unleashing a small creak from his gears as well as a coil of steam. "Tell everyone to stay inside."

"But, The Spine, what will you do?"

"I'm going to tell QWERTY and Beebop to put the house on lockdown." Hatchworth nodded at The Spine's response and made a break for it.

Hatchworth and The Spine had to make sure everyone was in the house. The smaller, bronze bot spent no time in accessing the Walter Wifi and sending out a message relaying that everyone must stay in the house and for someone to find the master, Peter Walter VI. The Spine couldn't recall where the master was or even if he was in the house, but even if he wasn't present, The Spine knew he would have to take charge alongside QWERTY and Beebop. Rushing to the Hall of Wires, he threw open the door.

"QWERTY!"

"Hi Spine!"

"Lock down the Manor, let no one in or out and put the guard up!" The Spine called into the hall, gripping the threshold to deter the thoughts of a possible home invasion arising. Initially they would confront the attacker or invader calmly, exposing their true natures as the bots they were. Should an attack arise, then they would do everything in their ability to stray from combat. Yes, he, Rabbit, and Hatchworth had weapons (from their days in the war), but they were programmed with a Vow of Peace, to never harm another being regardless of how menacing and evil it was, ever again. To break it would possibly overrun their internal command cores and The Spine couldn't risk that today.

"Y?"

"Because of the silver men on the yard." Beebop answered QWERTY before The Spine could and The Spine was glad to see that someone else had seen them too. Well, maybe not someone else, but rather something else.

"O. W8, they're not with the master?" QWERTY asked, knowing that the master had been working on a slew of projects as of late, but unable to remember if any silver men were involved.

"I do not know, but I will lock the manor down regardless and attempt to contact the master."

"Thank you. Is everyone in Walter Manor?" The Spine asked, the idea of a home invasion fleeing him.

"Yes." Beebop spoke and The Spine suddenly felt a bit better in knowing that everyone was safe and-

"Except for Rabbit."

The Spine felt that secure feeling vanish and in its place was something reminiscent to dread. He swore his oil ran colder than usual and it slunk throughout his body all the way down to his silver feet. He was certain everyone was in the manor, but now – no, he couldn't let the idea that Rabbit had been murdered by these….things…get to him. While there was hope, there wasn't time – he had to find Rabbit immediately.

"Where's Rabbit?"

"She is undetected by Walter Manor's scanners and system. Perhaps she is on Walter Manor grounds or somewhere else." Beebop responded, for a moment his voice sounded just like the strange being over the radio, but The Spine knew that Beebop was not like those damn things. Beebop, although concerned for the band's safety and functioning, was far from those that stalked the manor lawn.

Bolting from the door, The Spine ran down the hall. Hatchworth and everyone else that he could imagine were already inside the manor. Good, that was good.

"The Spine," Hatchworth messaged him over the Walter Wifi. "Everyone is in the house, but -"

"We need to find Rabbit." The Spine retorted through the message. "Look for her, tell me when you find her, but do not leave the manor."

It was amazing that the Rabbit hadn't received the message, otherwise she would have responded. But what if she couldn't respond? The idea rattled The Spine's functions, but he knew he couldn't jump to that conclusion. The Spine picked up his pace, searching throughout the manor for his sibling. Nowhere in the kitchen, not in the tower of tacos, not even in the workshop, nowhere near the widow's walk of waffles, not in the hall of hamburgers; not even Hatchworth had seen her when The Spine briefly ran into him. The Spine had practically searched for her everywhere and by now was only hoping that she was with the master. Steam rose from his frame as he took a quick breather. Were he a human, he would have tired of running throughout the house. He smirked to himself; he supposed that this was a benefit to being a bot.

Come to think of it, The Spine had only seen Rabbit a while ago in her room conversing with Gigi about quesadillas. He had heard her laughter down the hall from the study where the radio had screamed not too long ago. Of course, her room, that's where she could be or so he made himself believe. She had to be there, if anything were to happen to her, he would never let himself live it down. Rabbit bore a blue matter core (much like him and Hatchworth) which could very well fall into the wrong hands were she not careful. Granted, Rabbit was a cautious woman, but she was also friendly and loved making new friends. She hadn't heard the radio message as the words and screams echoed in The Spine's head.

Standing in the center of an almost eerily silent hallway, The Spine had no choice left but to check her room. Looking down the hall, he swore it seemed much darker than before – those grey clouds were possibly growing into dark hands blotting out a would be blue sky. The darkness seemed to bleed into the hallway and grew the more The Spine peered into it. His optics began to glow – miniature lights for the stretch before him.

"Rabbit!" He called out, her name echoing throughout the hall as he started to walk towards her room. His walking quickly changed into a quick stride, his fingers flexing, curling into balls. Hope sprung within him, hoping for his sake that she was in her room, talking to Gigi as she had been all this time before these silver men emerged. His glowing eyes led the way, past the seemingly useless doors that no one ever used as his stride turned into a run. Steam flowed from him, a hazy veil trailing behind him.

"Rabbit! Are you in here?!" Upon swinging open her bedroom door, Rabbit was nowhere to be found. Gigi was gone too and The Spine felt that hope fall like someone dropping a delicious slice of pizza. His eyes scanned the room and found nothing – not even a single trace of her recent presence. Sighing heavily, he felt his shoulders weigh down – more steam spouted and swirled about his slender frame.

Approaching the window for a current status update of the silver men, The Spine swore they multiplied in numbers since he last checked on them. They stood like obelisks on the lawn, imposing with an air of dominance. They bore no emotion from what The Spine could tell. They didn't even smile or nod, not even to the girl in the crimson and ebony striped dress who made her way around the yard with her chest bearing a shining bright blue light. 

Wait a minute. 

Why was Rabbit in the yard with those things? The Spine's eyes widened, the green glow growing as he instantly turned on his heel and ran as fast as he could. Steam trailed behind him like a second shadow as he heard Beebop finish armoring the house – the windows and doors clanged with armor thick seals, hopefully Rabbit heard those noises and would take the hint to come in, away from the monstrous metal men.

A curious nature was always a good thing to have – to an extent. Curiosity could lead you into dangerous situations and that was what ran through The Spine's mind. Rabbit must have been curious about these silver men that randomly appeared in their yard and decided to investigate. This would have been all well and good were they friendly, but they were clearly far from. Albeit, at first The Spine was rather curious about the silver monstrosities on the lawn of Walter Manor, but given what the radio had shrieked his curiosity turned to caution as he tore through the front door. Normally, he would have stealthily snuck past the threshold as though he were back in the war. However, there was no secrecy to be had – Rabbit was already out and about examining these things and if God forbid something had happened to her, The Spine would never forgive himself. There wasn't enough time to tap into stealth spy mode and slink and slither his way around. He had to get Rabbit into Walter Manor without interruptions or chaos arising.

By now all windows and doors had been armored on the manor, even the gate was reinforced with steel and latches and bolts and everything that would keep that gate secure. His eyes darted left to right, only to find more silver men. The Spine's demeanor shifted as his entire body seemed to be filled with wariness, raising his guard to these intruders. His build was tighter now and strict, ready to defend himself, his sibling, Hatchworth, Walter Manor, and everyone inside. He'd be damned if he allowed any of these silver men to enter his home, cause havoc, and get their hands on something they shouldn't.

His head turned sharply at the sound of Rabbit attempting to make idle conversation with the steel men. What she was thinking he had no idea, but it didn't matter, he needed to get her inside. All at once as though sensing The Spine's presence, the silver men's heads sharply rose. They stared ahead, their eye sockets never leaving the sealed windows of Walter Manor as they quietly registered The Spine and Rabbit. They were not humans, but they were automatons. Although The Spine was far more futuristic, he did not bear the features of a cyberman.

"H-h-h-hi!" The female bot chirped to a cyberman. "M-m-m-my name is Rabbit! Wh-wh-what's your n-n-name?"

"Rabbit, I think we should go back inside." The Spine rushed over to his sibling who now stood on her tiptoes to lock eyes with the cyberman.

The figures were tall (almost as tall as The Spine albeit a few inches difference) and bore that same titanium chrome shade for an exterior. The Spine knew that he was a Walter Robotics creation, much like everyone else in Walter Manor. He knew that the master hadn't been working on anything like this recently and if he was, he would have told them – or so he believed.

It stared with no optics which seemingly bothered The Spine, but Rabbit appeared to pay no mind to this missing feature. Its sockets were reminiscent to the keyhole the master wore on his face – dark and endless, foreboding, but with what no one seemed to know or understand. It was a sight that The Spine, Rabbit, and Hatchworth were normally accustomed to, but to see an empty feature on someone else was a bit unsettling and strange. However, those sockets did not stop Rabbit's provoked curiosity as she slowly circled the silver giant, examining its details.

"S-S-S-Spine, it even has a b-b-b-blue core!"

"Blue matter?" The Spine asked himself. Only the Walter family lineage had access to blue matter and no one else. The Beciles had their green matter and in knowing this, The Spine was even more cautious. Were these Becile bots, he would know how to handle them as he had done before. But these were not Becile bots – these were murder machines and he had no idea how to deal with them other than by running and hiding. He would not fight unless incredibly provoked.

"It could be! May-may-maybe the master in-in-invented these-"

"But Rabbit, don't you think he would have told us?"

"Maybe. I-I-I-I m-m-mean Hatchworth was a-a surprise so…"

"You do have a point, Rabbit." The Spine retorted, reaching for her hand to grab her and make a break for Walter Manor.

The sound of metal footprints on the grass alerted The Spine as his emerald optics darted about. They were coming in numbers now and The Spine knew in his mechanical heart that the master hadn't designed these beings. Not this many in such a quick time. They were coming fast now and Rabbit was still examining this strange, metallic monster wondering what it was exactly and how on Earth it got here.

As if growing irritated by her eyes roaming about its detailed frame, the metal being shifted its weight. Looking upon the curious automaton, it bore no emotion whatsoever and something shivered in The Spine that he had not felt in a while. It was something…..eerie, something that made the oil tremble in his systems. It was a combination of the fear he had seen before many days past on people who fought for a rich man clad in the star spangled banner and concern. He couldn't stand to lose Rabbit, it would possibly break his boiler and make him malfunction with no hope of repair. His fingers were so close to Rabbit's wrist and only at the last minute did she unintentionally jerk her hand away. Bringing her hands to her chest, she felt something strange about this silver being – as though she had accidentally triggered a mechanism or mode that caused the being to now approach her. Its steps were quick and rang in her ears, only then did she realize that she and The Spine were surrounded by these things. She felt his titanium alloy spine against her back and gripped her chest even tighter, worried if they should try to reach for her core.

"You will be upgraded." The cold voice hit her ears like a thousand cold waves. She suddenly regretted coming out here to examine what could be a new army of friends. The Spine's eyes darted about, only to find a small gap in between the cybermen that would take them straight to the door. Relief grasped him briefly, struggling to feel for his fingers in hopes to guide him to safety. Quickly reaching behind him, he grabbed Rabbit's forearm, not wanting her to stray her hands away from her chest in case these strangers should attempt to steal her blue core.

"Rabbit, we need to get inside!"

"Upgrading is required."

"B-b-b-b-but Spine, what does i-i-i-it mean by upgrade?!" She still had a mere scrap of hope that these were Walter creations and that they could possibly upgrade her with whatever means that Peter had probably instilled into them. Upgrading registered as something good in her head – the master had given her many upgrades in the past. He even aided in altering her gender from male to female and she couldn't be more thankful for that.

Looking over his shoulder, The Spine knew there was no time to answer her question and pulled her with him. He didn't enjoy doing that, but he had to do it to make a break for the door. He could hear Rabbit's feet fumble against the grass, only to hurriedly regain her balance, her eyes never leaving the cybermen.

"Delete." It lurched forward at a great speed, with its metallic hand aiming for Rabbit's nape. Her eyes widened at the thick, silver fingers now pulsating with electricity.

"RABBIT!"


End file.
